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(No Model.)

B. s. BATCHELOR. ELEOTRIO GOVERNOR AND INDICATOR FOR FLUID- PRBSSUR'E BRAKESr No. 251,991. I Patented Jan. 3,1882.

Usuran STATES ATENT Farce...

EDWIN S. BATGHEILOB, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HlM- SELF AND CHARLES WV. BA'IOHEIJOR, OF SAilIE PLACE.

ELECTRIC GOVERNOR AND INDICATOR FOR FLUID-PRESSURE BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,991, dated January 3, 1882.

Application filed September 14, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, EDWIN S. BA'rcnELon, of Pittsburg, county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented ordiscoverul a new and useful Improvement in Electric Governors and Indicators for Fluid Pressure Brakes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompany- 1o ing drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-like letters indicating like parts- Figurel is a view inperspective of apcrzion of a car-axle and car-truck frame with a portion of my improved appliances arranged in connection therewith, sufficient to illustrate to those skilled in the art its construction and operation. Fig. 2 shows to areduced scale the same appliances in connection with an axle, a

pair of wheels, and aportion ofthetruck-frame. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a pair of the electric-wire couplings which Iemploy. Fig. tis aview in perspective of one such couplings. Fig. 5 is a detached side View, and Fig. 6 is a top or plan view, of the circuit closer and breaker which I employ as an attachment to the operating-cock of a fiuid-pressure.bra ke apparatus 5 and Fig. 7 is a diagram of the wires employed, illustrative of'the action in making and break ing circuits.

In the operation of fluid-pressure brakes it sometimes happens that inadvertently or otherwise the engineer turns or sets the operating-cock so as to cause the application of more 5 brake-power than is desired, as a result of which one or more of the wheels may be locked so as to slide on the track, whereby such wheel or wheels is soon materially injured, if not spoiled. Also, the same result is liable to fol- 0 low from the use in the same train of cars from different roads, since in the absence of a uniform standard of car construction the leverage by or through which brake-power is applied is not always the same.

My present invention is primarily designed to give instant notice to the engineer in case of the sliding of any wheel of his train, and this I can accomplish by the action of a device having some of the features of a centrifugal (No model.)

steam-governor, which is preferably so combined with an electric circuit that while the train is running at more than a fixed or predetermined minimum speed the axle circuit makers will be closed, and then when the circuit is closed on the engine by the setting of the operating-cock in applying the brakes, if

at such time too 'much power is applied, and

a pair of wheels is caused to slide, the corresponding axle-circuit will beautomaticallyand at once broken, with the result of giving an alarm on the engine. The engineer will then,

of course, let offor release such amount or percourage of brake-power as will leave such sliding wheels free to revolve, but without necessarily releasing the brake-power entirely; and with the resumption ofrotation the broken circuit will be restored, and the alarm will cease until (if such should be the case) an axle-circuit is again broken by like means.

Each axle A, or those axles the wheels of which are most liable to slide, have loosely fitted thereonthat is, on eacha tapering'collar, A, and from two opposite sides thereof project the arms A To the ends'of these arms I secure the connecting-rods a, which extend along a short distance parallel with the axle, and then turn up and unite in a single rod, a, which Works through a depending post or ban or A secured to some ram-sa the g a 1 l 7 beam A*of the truck-frame. This hanger is of wood or other suitable insulating material. To the end of the rod (1, I connect a rope, m which passes around the pulley a, and extends to the end of the car, or to other convenient point. The stems a. to constitute a kind of draw-frame, and may be so designated.

On the axle A, I arrange aband or collar, B, and makeit so tightly on orsecure itso firmly to the axle by clamping or otherwise that it will revolve with the axle. This band or colo lar carries a clip or bifurcated post, B, in which Ipivot a governor-arm, G, and to the outer or free end of the arm I attach a comparatively light weight, G, but one heavy enough for doing the work hereinafterdescribed. "Two other collars, I) D, are also securely clamped on the axle, so as to revolve therewith, and all the three collars B, D, and D are insulated from electrical connection with the axle in any suitable wayas, forexample, by a sheet of india-rubber, B Two wires, properly insulated, extend from a battery and circuit-closer on the engine back through the train, one direct and the other through the several apparatuses herein described. Such second wire, s, Fig. 1, on coming to any or each set of the apparatus, passes down the hanger A and makes electrical connection with a metallic strip,(I, which is always in electrical contact with the collar D. A wire, 8, extends from this collar, beneath the eollarD, (insulated therefrom.) and leads to a metallic contaet-piece,s ,on the end of the governorlever G. Another metallic co11tact-piece,s ,is attached to the collar D, and these eontact-piecess and s have such re lationship that when the weight G rests on the axle, as shown, contact Will be broken, but when the weight G is thrown out away from the axle by centrifugal force by and during the running of the train, or when forced out by the (ll1\V-fI'Zlll'l6 a a and collar A, contact will be made, and a circuit will be tormed from the wire 8 to the collar D. A metallic strip, d, alwayspressesagainstthis collar, and from it a wire, 8 leads to the nextapparatus, and, in fact, isapartand continuation of the second wire, 8, above referred to. Both wires are to be in electrical contact at the rear ofthe train. The contact piece 8 is preferably made of spring-metal. A spring, g, is added to the governor lever G, so as to draw the weight G to the axle in casetheaxle ceases to revolve when the weight is on the under side of the axle or so far down that its own gravity will not bring it tothc axle when the axle stops revolving.

Leaving out of consideration for the present the draw-frame a a, with the devices operating in the immediate conn'ection therewith, it will beseen that as soon as the train in motion acquires a minimum running speed the weight G will be thrown outwardly by centrifugal force until contact is made at 8 s and such contact will be preserved while the speed is maintained exceeded.

By devices presently to be described the engineer in turning the cock to apply brakepower closes the circuit of the wires referred to. If he applies so much power as to slide any pair of wheels in the train, the weight G on the axle of such pair of wheels will come back to the axle, so as to break the circuit at s 8 and thereby, through any suitable bellringer or other audible or visual signal on the engine, notify the engineer of the fact. He then willat once release a portion of the brakepower or diminish it, so as to free the locked wheels, which, again revolving, will restore the broken circuit and reverse or change the signal.

One suitable form or construction of circuit maker and breaker is illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, where P may represent a portion of the operating-cock, such as is commonly used in applying fluid-pressure for braking purposes; and I is the handle. A strip of wood or other insulating material, I), is secured to the plug or key of the cock, so as to move with it, and a metallic pin, c, having a slight range of vertieal motion, but held ,down by a spring, 0, is inserted in the end of such strip. A curved bar, I, is arranged in such position that the end or head of the pin 0 may slide thereon. A metallic contact-piece, 0 is inserted in such part of this bar that the pin 0 will rest thereon or be in contact therewith when the cock is turned for applying brake-power. ()ne of the circuit-wires-say, s leads to the contactpiece a and the other, (above called the second one,) 8, leads to thepin 0. Then when the cock is turned to the position for applying the brakes the circuit will be closed, and when the brakes areot't' the circuit will be broken; butin thecotnbinations described and hereinafter claimed other suitable forms of circuit makers and breakersmaybesubstituted forthose described, provided the essential features of operation remain substantially unchanged.

lVhile the electric apparatus on the engine may be varied at pleasure, I have illustrated by diagram in Fig. 7 one suitable arrangement and combination.

At 8 s I have illustrated the train circuitwires uniting at s at the rear of the train to close the circuit at that point, and at s s, I have represented the axle-circuit .makers and breakers of Fig. 1. The wire 8 leads through battery 0 to the contact-piece c and the wire 8 to an electro-magnet, e, and thence by wire (here lettered 0 to the pin 0, made as in Figs. 5 and 6. The armature 0 has electrical contact by its pivotpost and wire 0, through a bell-ringer, q, with the wire s back of the battery. When the armature c is free it is drawn back by a spring into contact with a stud, 2 which, by wire i, connects with the wire 6 Now, assuming the axle-contacts c c to be in contact and the train running, there will be normally no closed circuit, since the brakes, being off the operating-cock, will be in position for broken circuit. If the operator then turns his cock to apply the brakes, he will close the cock contact-pieces c 0 and make a complete circuit through the battery 6 and electromagnet 0. The armature 0 will then be drawn to its magnet and away from contact with the stud i. ing axle-contacts will be separated, as described, which will break the circuit. The armature 6 will then make contact with the stud ti, and a new circuit will be formed from battery 0 through contact-pieces c 0, wires 0 t, stud i, armature c and wire 0, through the bell-ringer q, or other signaling apparatus, so as to actuate the latter and give the proper alarm. The engineer then lessens the brakepower without breaking the circuit at the cock, so that the locked wheels may again re volve and close the broken circuit, and this will result in again charging the electro-mag- If, then, a wheel slides, the correspond net c and by drawing over the armature will break the bell-ringing or other signaling circuit and leave the apparatus in condition for giving another alarm or signal in case of the sliding of the same or another pair of wheels. The structure in detail of the apparatus (shown only in the diagram) is well known, so that a lengthy explanation is unnecessary; but for the mere purpose of giving an alarm or signal other arrangementsot' known devices may be substituted.

For coupling the circuit-wires between cars I employ the devices shown in Figs. 8 and 4, where R represents a coupling block or head, made of wood or other suitable insulating material, and havingashank or stem,r, by which it may be suspended from the carbody in case the wires are not heavy enough for such lunction, and each block having a pin, 7', projecting from its face a little to one side of its center, or a little to one side of themiddle of its end face. On each side of each block is a U- shaped metallic plate,n,arranged on the block, so that one legnz, shall lie neatly alongside of pin. 1' (and a like one on the other side) and the other leg, n is bent to a bow shape, and sufiiciently for the opposite legs of two plates to come in contact with each other when not forced apait; and this double bow is made on the side of the axial or centerline'of the block, opposite the pin r, and at the same distance from such axial or center line. The wiresss are brought to the opposite sides of the stem or shank r, and led along to make contact each with a plate, n. One of these couplings orone half-coupling is thus connected with the circhit-wires at each end of the car, so that when cars are run together to make up a train the pin r of each half-coupling may he slipped be tween the spring-plates of legs a of the other half, as a result of which each leg non the side of the pin 1" will be in electrical contact with a leg, 12 of the opposite half-coupling, and as the half-couplings thus made are duplicates of each other, any two of them may be connected or coupled together. Hence each line of wires will be electrically insulated as against the otherline, except at the rear of the train, where the bow-shaped legs a from opposite sides of the block It will be in contact and complete the circuit at that point, as required at s, Fig. 7.

To prevent the half-couplings from pulling apart, as against ordinary or usual strains, dowel-pins 0 may be provided on the sides of pins r, which will enter holes 0 in the legs a when two half-couplings are united.

Returning, now, to the draw-frame a a and collar A, these, are merely appliances added for convenience in ascertaining before a train startsout whether or not the electrical apparatus is in good condition. For this purpose the rope a is pulled, so as to shift the drawframe a a to the left, and thereby slide the collar A along beneath the weight G, and by raising the weight tilt the arm G till the contact-pieces 8 8 are in contact. To hold it there in each apparatus till all such contacts are made throughout the train, I provide aspringhook, z, and beveled catch 2 in such position that when the draw-frame a a is so drawn to the left and contact is made the ho. k 2 will engage the catch.

In order, now, that when the electrical circuits are found to be all right the apparatus may be restored to normal working position, 1 add a tiipbar, r, so that normally its lower end will be out of the way of the governor-arm G, a light spring, a, sera'ing to hold it up; but in moving the draw-frame a a to the left, as above described, the beveled upper end of this tripbar, passing under the stiff springhook a, will be forced down by the side of the governor-arm G, or so that its lower end will be in the path of such arm when it. begins to move with the axle. As soon as the train starts the arm G, in moving around with the axle, will strike the lower rounded end of the trip-bar v and force it upward against the under side of the spring-hook 2, while the latter is caught on the catch 2. This results in freeing the hook from its catch, and a spring, 2', on the stem at forces the draw-frame back to the right, and the apparatus is then in normal working position.

It may happen, perhaps once in a hundred times, that when a train is just made up and ready to be tested as above the trip-ham) may be directly above the governor-arm G, as shown in Fig. 1. In such case the draw-frame a a must be drawn a little farther than otherwise, so that the trip-bar may be forced-down past the end of thegovernor-arm. Then,as soon as the train starts and the arm G moves away from the trip-bar, it with the draw-frame will come back to the position before describedthat is, with the lower end of the trip-bar in the path of the governor-armwith the result of disingaging catch and hook as before. The same or like arrangement of circuits, circuit makers and breakers, and electrical appliances may be employed as a brake-governor to indicate or signal to the engineer when a maximum speed has been attained but in such case the spring 9, which holds or tends to hold the governor-weight G to the axle, should be made strong enough to overcome the centrifugal tendency of the weight during all speeds below such maximum, so that only when such maximum is reached or exceeded will the contactpieces 3 8 come in contact to complete the circuit. Of course in such use of theinvention the wire connections should be closed at all other points. To secure greater accuracy and certainty of operation means should be added such as are well-known in the art for adjusting the power of the sprin I claim herein as my invention 1. The combination of a centrifugal governor, a car-axle, an electrical make-and-break mechanism operated by the governor, an electrical circuit extending thence to the engine, and an audible or visual signal in such circuit IIO in convenient position for signaling the engineer, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of an electrical wire-circuit extending along any desired part of the train, an axle-governor, a makeand-break mechanism actuated by such governor, a valveoperating mechanism, and a make-and-break mechanism operated by the valve motion, substantially as set forth.

3. The combinalion,in a railway-train, of an electric-wire circuit, acentrifugal governor taking its motion from an axle, an electric makeand-break mechanism actuated by such governor, a spring tending to hold said governor to the axle, and a signal or alarm, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,on a railway-train, of an electric-wire circuit, accntrit'ugal governor ta king its motion from the axle, a make andbreak mechanism actuated by the governor, a valveoperating mechanism, a make-and-break mechanism operated by the valve motion, and a bellringing and signaling circuit brought into operation by the breaking of the previously-closed train or main circuit,substantially as sett'orth.

5. The insulated collars D D B and strips (1 d, in combination with circuit- Wires and with a centrifugal governor actuated from the car-axle, and a nmke-and-break mechanism actuated from such governor, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a centrifugal governor and axle, the draw -frame a, a, collar A, book 2, catch 2, and trip-bare, as a means for testing apparatus of the class described, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination ot'a railway-train signal, a signaling electric circuit, a valve mechanism for applying fluid-pressure brake-power, and an electrical make'am'l-break mechanism operated in making and breaking the circuit by the valve motion, substantially as set forth.

8. An electrical coupling having in combination in each half a block, 1t, and pin r of non-comlucting material, a metallic plate, a, on each side of the block, a leg, a, having a projection, 0, of each platealying along each opposite side of the pin 1' and a perforated leg, M, of each plate a bent to a bow shape so as to make contact with the opposite leg a of thesame half-coupling when the couplings are disconnected, but such legs a being arranged to be separated by the pin '1" of the other haltcoupling when two half-couplings are united, and at the same time make electrical contact with the legs a of such other half, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

EDWIN S. BATGHELORZ Witnesses R. H. Wnrr'rLEsEY, GEORGE H. GiiRrs'rY. 

